12

HYDRAULIC
SYSTEMS AND
CONTROLS
This chapter discusses hydraulic systems, their control systems, and some of
the principles of tractor hitches.

Hydraulic Component Symbols

Hydraulic systems have become so complicated that it is much easier to use

symbols to describe them. This language, Graphic Symbols for Fluid Power Dia-
grams, must necessarily be learned before proceeding to a discussion of hy-
draulic systems.
The symbols are shown in Appendix B along with some examples of their
use. Some advantages of using symbols are:
1. Their use simplifies communication and saves drawing time.
2. Symbols can be used to convey the functional requirements of a com-
ponent, or an assembly of components. Thus, a designer's concept of the
component will not be biased by seeing a drawing or model of the com-
ponent being designed or redesigned.
Symbolic representation of hydraulic circuits does not take the place of
drawings for manufacturing purposes.

Hydraulic Components

A hydraulic system consists of part or all of the following components:

1. Pump
2. Motor
314
J. B. Liljedahl et al., Tractors and their Power Units
© Van Nostrand Reinhold 1989
MOTOR PERFORMANCE 315

FIGURE 12-1 Schematic diagram of

double-acting cylinder.

3. Valves
4. Lines and connections
5. Heat exchanger
6. Sump (supply tank)
7. Accumulator (stored energy)
8. Controls (manual or automatic)
9. Fluid
10. Actuators
11. Filters
Pumps and motors are often quite similar and can sometimes be inter-
changed in their purpose. The simplest type of pump or motor is a hydraulic
cylinder (fig. 12-1). When hydraulic cylinders are arranged axially, as shown
in figure 12-2, the rate of flow through the pump can be regulated by con-
trolling the angle between the piston block and the swash plate, a common
method of control on a hydrostatic transmission.
Radial piston pumps (fig. 12-3) can also be used as motors. The displace-
ment of a radial piston pump can be controlled by allowing the pressure to
lift the pistons off the eccentric. By this method the pump unloads and does
not do any work except when the pressure drops sufficiently to force the
pistons back onto the eccentric.
A spur-gear pump is shown in figure 12-4. It is normally used on tractor
hydraulic systems of lower pressure.
The spur-gear, the internal-gear pump (fig. 12-5), the gerotor-gear pump
(fig. 12-6), and the vane-type pump (fig. 12-7) are all used on tractor hydraulic
systems where lower pressures are used.

Motor Performance*

Because efficiencies are often high, very accurate instrumentation is required

if the motor is externally loaded because a small error in measurement of

*This section also applies to pumps. Equations I and 2 should be inverted when used for pumps.